Even before The Wolverine went into production, there were thoughts about making two versions of the movie: As a PG-13 version and a harder R-Rated version. It was clear, however, that only the PG-13 version would be screened in cinemas because every studio, in this case 20th Century Fox, wants its big budget productions to make a lot of money in return. Luckily, there is still the home cinema market. Director James Mangold announced a harder cut for Blu-ray quite early and actually was able to create an Extended Cut, which will be compared to the Theatrical Version here.

And this longer version really is quite a lot more brutal and bloody than the original one, which already was quite explicit for its PG-13 rating. Digital blood was used quite often to make scenes harder, other scenes feature more action, blood and gore in general. The result should be on pretty much the way the fans want to see Wolverine on the big screen.

The additional action and violence are not the only alteration, of course. Wolverine's vocabulary is more explicit and there are more dialogs and plot scenes as well. In some scenes of the Extended Cut, the music had to be removed due to continuity reasons.

The movie itself can probably be seen as the weakes of the X-Men movies, which is not supposed to say that it is a bad one. The Extended Cut certainly does its part to improve it by a bit as well. The additions make the movie seem more even, but unfortunately the sometimes unnecessary humor (for example in the bar or the hotel) was not removed. Of course, it is also a pity that no cool new mutants were introduced, but we can all look forward to X-Men: Days of Future Past for that.

This is a comparison between the Theatrical Version and the Extended Cut, both by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment.

Note: all underlined time designations refer to the Theatrical Version.

Thanks go to TCFHE for supplying us with the two versions

Different Image Section3:12 minutesWhen the Japanese soldier kills himself with the sword, the Extended Cut shows more at the bottom of the image so the sword can be seen entering the body.
No difference in running time

Extended Cut

Theatrical Version

Alternative Footage5:58 minutesThere is a lot more blood on the sheet. The Extended Cut runs a few frames longer.
1,251 sec. / 1,127 sec.

Alternative Footage12:15 minutes / 12:17 minutesThe hand with the arrow can be seen, then the pain-distorted face of the hunter. The Theatrical Version shows more harmless material.
No difference in running time.

Extended Cut

Theatrical Version

Additional scene/shot in the Extended Cut17:20 minutesWolverine can be seen longer.
1,585 sec.

Additional scene/shot in the Extended Cut17:22 minutesWhile Yukio sleeps, Wolverine remembers getting to know Yashida in Japan in the bunker.
Yashida: "Kuzuri. Kuzuri. Kuzuri."Wolverine: "Kuzuri. What does that mean?"Yashida: "Monster. No pain? You have no..."Wolverine: "Oh, yeah. Pain. Plenty of pain."Yashida: "How old are you?"Wolverine: "It's been a long time. Many wars. Understand? Too many fuckin' wars."57,307 sec.

Additional scene/shot in the Extended Cut19:29 minutes / 18:32 minutesYukio: "Don't let the lights fool you. These are dark days in Japan. Some believe when Master Yashida got sick a shadow fell upon us."Wolverine: "Do you think he is God?"Yukio: "No. A man. But a great one. After the war, he helped rebuild the nation..."Yukio: "... and the family business became Japan's largest."Wolverine: "Wow. Did they give you a little card to memorize?"Yukio: "I owe Master Yashida my life. Don't be a dick."33,199 sec. / 10,593 Sek

Extended Cut

Theatrical Version

Additional scene/shot in the Extended Cut20:36 minutesWhen Wolverine sits on the bank, one of the servants comes and takes his old shoes. Wolverine says that the other shoes are too small.
13,555 sec.

Additional scene/shot in the Extended Cut24:52 minutesYukio wants to give Wolverine a surgical mask.
Yashida: "Forget the etiquette. I'm past such precautions."He raises himself up a little.
Yashida: "For many years I have wanted to thank you for saving my life."Wolverine: "Yeah, well. You were kind to me. And you were kind to many people. I saw that even from that well."29,238 sec.

Additional scene/shot in the Extended Cut28:36 minutesShingen gets ready and takes a glass of alcohol.
Servant: "Lord Shingen, your father is asking for you."Shingen: "It is time."He takes a sip and puts the glass on a drawer. The servant helps Shingen to put on his jacket. Mariko enters: "I need to speak with my father before he speaks to Grandfather."A servant blocks her way and says: "He'll talk to you later, Mariko."Mariko: "Father! I need to see you now!"Shingen: "Not now, Mariko!"37,370 sec.

Additional scene/shot in the Extended Cut31:28 minutesWolverine looks around. Then a cut to Shingen. Viper opens the door to Yashida's room and lets Shingen enter.
Yashida: "Don't look so sad, Shingen. I'm still dying."Viper: "I'll be in my office if you need me."She leaves and Shingen sits down next to the sickbed.
Yashida: "There is no easy way to say this. But then, it's never been easy for us, has it?"Shingen: "I have tried, father."Yashida: "You've done the best you can."One of the men in the background puts a recording device on the table.
Yashida: "You have always been my assumed successor. So the past few years, as a test, I allowed you more control."Shingen: "It has been a honor."Yashida: "And I now realize that was a mistake. You have brought this company close to ruin."Shingen says something in Japanese.
Yashida: "When I die, someone else will take my place as chairman."Shingen: "Father, I'm sorry if I have disappointed you..."Yashida: "Let's not insult one another. You are not the man to lead, Yashida."Shingen: "You cannot bring in someone from the outside."Yashida: "In that, you are correct."Shingen laughs incredulously: "That will never happen."138,054 sec.

Score/Dialog33:46 minutesWhen Wolverine lies in bed, the background score was changed due to continuity reasons.
No difference in running time

Alternative Footage41:03 minutes / 36:10 minutesWolverine's claws penetrate the guy's leg. At least in the Extended Cut.
No difference in running time

Extended Cut

Theatrical Version

Digital Blood41:04 minutes / 36:11 minutesThe long shot is a bit bloodier as well.
No difference in running time

Extended Cut

Theatrical Version

Different Image Section41:06 minutes / 36:14 minutesWhen the attackers flee into the house with Mariko, the Theatrical Version shows a zoomed-in picture, which hides a headshot that can now only be seen in the Extended.
No difference in running time

Additional Scene/Shot in the Extended Cut50:19 MinutesWolverine stabs the guy in the chest with his claws.
0.126 sec.

Alternate Footage50:19 Minutes / 45:07 MinutesThe Unrated Version shows more explicitly how the claws are sticking inside the guy's body. The subsequent fight with the other attacker is a little different, too.
4.964 sec. / 5.130 sec.

Extended Cut

Theatrical Version

Additional Scene/Shot in the Extended Cut50:32 MinutesWolverine gets stabbed in the shoulder with a knife.
1.751 sec.

The Extended Cut instead shows an additional action sequence:
Wolverine walks past Jean to the other side of the balcony. Mariko watches him do that. When he arrives, he sees the two guys walking beneath them. Then he sees Jean before the assassin fires a shot at him. Wolverine wants to get him but instead gets pushed off the balcony. He lands hard on the ground where the two men position themselves next to him. One of them fires a taser at Wolverine. The other guy shoots a bullet in the hero's arm. Wolverine has some hallucinations (Silver Samurai, Viper). The two guys continue to have “fun“ with Wolverine.
The assassin on the balcony shouts: "Kill him already"One of the guys points his gun at Wolverines face: "Wanna say something before you die, gaijin?"Suddenly, the man from the balcony smashes on the roof of a car and lies dead on the ground with a knife sticking in his back. Mariko throws a knife at the taser-guy who falls to the ground. Wolverine sees the taser, grabs it and uses it against the other bad guy. Subsequently we see Mariko standing on the balcony.

Additional Scene/Shot in the Theatrical Version1:06:30 MinutesIn the Theatrical Verison, Wolverine is standing at the door slightly longer.
0.959 sec.

Additional Scene/Shot in the Extended Cut1:13:23 MinutesMariko puts her wet jacket off in the hallway. Wolverine follows her. Inside the itchen she gives him clothes to change and then goes to her bedroom.
22.148 sec.

Alternate Footage1:25:03 Minutes / 1:17:48 MinutesWolverine drops the F-Bomb.
Theatrical Version: "... by the Yakuza. And if I don't like what you say, you are going through that window."Unrated: "... by the Yakuza. And if I don't like what you say, you are going through that fucking window."5.589 sec. / 4.171 sec.

Extended Cut

Theatrical Version

Additional Scene/Shot in the Extended Cut1:30:06 MinutesWolverine and Yukio walk through the building and spot three corpses.
24.315 sec.

Score/Dialog1:30:30 MinutesWhen Wolverine and Yukio walk along the hallway you don't hear Wolverine shouting for Shingen.
No difference in time.

Additional Scene/Shot in the Extended Cut1:39:38 MinutesViper puts some powder on her fingernail and puts it in a test tube.
Harada: "Listen to me, mutant. She will not be harmed."Viper: "She will be fine. So long you do your job. Logan will be here soon, you should prepare. It was easy to lure him here. It's another thing to capture him."Harada: "We're ready. He's never faced the Black Clan."Viper: "Yes, well..."Dabei gibt sie ihm ein Glas mit Gift für seine Pfeile.
Viper: Dip your arrows in this. It won't kill him, but it will slow him down."Harada: "Keep your potions. He's no challenge for us now. He's weak."Viper: Okay. But when you fail..."She puts the test tube in Harada's pocket.
Viper: 52.511 sec.

Additional Scene/Shot in the Extended Cut1:43:25 MinutesSeveral ninjas (some of them on motorcycles) attack. Wolverine is not amused and fights them. Yukio also arrives at the scene while Wolverine is caught in a net and pulled through the village by the ninjas. Yukio gets a snow blower to help her friend who by now was able to free himself from the net. Meanwhile, one of the ninjas gets chopped by the snow blower, resulting in a bloody mess. Then follow some more fights and more ninjas are being killed by the snow blower. Then we see Hrada who sticks his arrows in poison. Later, Yukio crashes the snow blower. Wolverine tells her to run away before the machine blows up. Then he runs towarts the tower.
186.728 sec.

Additional Scene/Shot in the Theatrical Version1:34:56 MinutesIn the Theatrical Version we now see Hranda dipping his arrows in poison.
10.385 sec.

Additional Scene/Shot in the Extended Cut1:48:07 MinutesAfter the explosion, Yukio regains consciousness and goes to the tower.
25.692 sec.

Score/Dialog1:48:33 MinutesAt this point when Wolverine slowly wakes up, the score is missing due to reasons of transition.
No difference in time.

Additional Scene/Shot in the Theatrical Version1:37:47 MinutesAfter the tracking shot of the tower, Yukio arrives at the scene with her motorcycle. She gets off and stops in front of the fence.
9.009 sec.